Customers want to feel valued and it’s your ability to make them feel that way time and again which will enable you to win their long term happiness and loyalty, not to mention differentiate yourself in today’s increasingly crowded marketplace.

Here are seven of the most important ways maintaining your customers’ happiness will ensure your business remains desirable, profitable, and competitive for a long time to come.

1) You will stand out

The Harvard Business Review reports that 84% of customers say their expectations were not met during their most recent interaction with a business. This, of course, leaves a lot of room for improvement. A sure fire way to set yourself apart from your competition is to provide customers with friendly, knowledgeable, and easy-to-use customer support. If you can provide a consistent and relevant experience, you will give your customers no reason to complain or, worse, look for a better option. And there is always a better option.

2) Customers will appreciate that you are invested in helping them

The number one reason why customers leave a business is not, as many assume, because they found a better price. The U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce report that 68% of customers leave a business because they are upset with the treatment they've received from companies who seem indifferent to their wants and needs. Of course one way you can make sure you are meeting those wants and needs is to ask, over time, for feedback.

3) And they will be more invested in helping you

Customers will provide you with feedback if it means you can provide them with a more efficient and relevant experience. And, in fact, that’s just what many businesses are doing. According to Gartner, brands which are most successful at delivering a superior customer experience are those who regularly implement customer experience improvements based on customer feedback. Feedback provides them with insights into how their customers actually think and behave, making it easier to plan, create, and improve the customer experience for maximum payoff.

4) Happy customers will help you attract new business

These days, consumers regularly read reviews before they make a purchasing decision. Search Engine Land reports that about 85% of consumers read as many as 10 online reviews just to determine whether or not they can trust a business. With these kinds of numbers, the last thing you want is for potential customers to stumble across negative reviews of your business. Survey your customers to find out what they like about you and don’t shy away from sharing their feedback. Let your most satisfied customers be your business’s biggest advocates.

5) And they will help you improve consumer confidence

eMarketer finds that while consumers are eager to purchase products from brands they know and love, they place less importance on product descriptions offered by manufacturers and more on the opinions of other consumers who have actually used the products. For this reason, you should not only make sure that all of your customers are satisfied with your offerings but also ask your customers to share their positive opinions. And, again, be sure to prominently highlight those opinions on social media and your website! You’ll build more trust and, as an added bonus, even improve your SEO ranking!

6) They are more likely to remain loyal

Forrester reports that 81% of customers are more likely to engage in repeat business with companies that exceed their expectations. What this means is that much of your business’ growth is likely to stem from focusing on retention. You will not only spend less on acquiring customers, but improve your chances of selling more – and at higher costs – to your existing customer base. Investing in the design and delivery of a superior experience will pay for itself when you see your customers returning time and again.

7) Measuring satisfaction doesn’t have to be hard

Measuring customer satisfaction doesn’t have to be chore. There are a number or easy-to-use but effective metrics you can use to ensure that your customers are happy with the design and delivery of your customer experience. Simple metrics like CSAT, CES, and NPS have become increasingly popular as they provide reliable data businesses can use to assess both their current performance and future prospects. In their own ways, each metric will help you understand what you need to do to improve your customer experience, increase retention, and beat the competition.

Encouraging customers to provide you with feedback is an integral part of delivering and maintaining a superior customer experience. Routinely requesting, analyzing, and implementing their feedback will ensure that you are aware of your strengths, able to address your weaknesses, and always stay on top of whatever expectations your customers have of you.